‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’: How Jamal Sims Pays Homage to ‘Greased Lightning’ Through Dance

variety.com:

McKinley Franklin editor Choreographer Jamal Sims is no stranger when it comes to creating top-of-the-line dance numbers for television and film projects, and his work on “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’” “New Cool” sequence just extends his repertoire. “Because I grew up on this film, I felt like [the choreography] was in me,” Sims tells Variety.

The scene set for “New Cool” resembles that of another favored number from the original “Grease” film — defined by boilersuits, beat-up cars and a whole lot of grease.  “[‘New Cool’ is set] in a mechanic’s classroom,” said Sims. “I [knew], going in, that this was going to be compared to ‘Greased Lightning.’” Indeed, the number pays great homage to John Travolta’s covertly sexual anthem.

Sims says that the key difference between the two lies in the “storytelling.” “‘Greased Lightning’ for John Travolta was all about the male ego,” but for Pink Lady Cynthia (portrayed by Ari Notartomaso), Sims says the number was about “Cynthia expressing who [they are].” Notartomaso instills newfound confidence into the T-Birds during “New Cool” in hopes that their character can join the all-male group of outcasts. “In our story, the T-Birds aren’t as cool as they were in ‘Grease,’” said Sims. “Cynthia is telling them, ‘You guys have the ability to be the coolest [group at Rydell].’”  Led by Notartomaso, Cynthia takes the reigns in what Sims describes as an “I can show you better than I can tell you” angle throughout the number. “From the top, the T-Birds aren’t having it,” but Cynthia’s dominant and persuasive nature sways the group. “We see them start to fall in line with [Cynthia],” adds Sims.